Promise
by Hiyume
Summary: A month has passed. The infection is nearing its end. Manhattan is being evacuated and Alex knows that he can't leave... but his sister can. A look into what happens to Dana after the game. WARNING, MAJOR SPOILERS.


**A/N:** I just finished Prototype a few days ago and have been obsessing over it like crazy. This idea kept popping into my head, and I know it won't leave until I write about it, so I wrote this little drabble to get it off my mind. I kept wondering what happened to Dana, so this is my take on that.

WARNING: This will be a bit cheesy. And there are MAAAJOR SPOILERS, so don't read unless you've beat the game.

**Disclaimer: **Prototype belongs to Activision.

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A month had passed since the bomb threat. Alex sat in the morgue next to Dana, nothing but the humming of the dim lights and her gentle breathing to keep him company. How much time had gone by since he'd starting watching her? Hours? Days? Weeks? Time blurred together in the morgue—no windows decorated the walls to allow sun or moonlight to filter into the room, and the old clock that hung by the door seemed to have stopped ticking years ago.

The question of time was gone as soon as it entered his mind. It didn't matter how long it took. He could wait until the end of time if he wanted… because of what he is.

Dana's eyes began to flutter, making Alex almost fall out of his chair. For a moment, he wondered if he'd imagined it. When she groaned and rubbed her eyes with one of her hands, he stood.

"Dana…?" he breathed as she struggled to wake. She squinted in his direction.

"Alex…" her voice came out as a rasp. She tried to open her eyes wider but winced from the light above her. She looked about the room, still dazed. "Where are we…?"

"Ragland's morgue." Alex stated, walking over to the sink and filling a styrofoam cup with water. He strode back over to her and lifted her up into a sitting position as he spoke. "I brought you back here after you…" He froze in the middle of handing her the cup. His mouth hung open mid-sentence as she stared at him, waiting for him to continue. Realization crossed Dana's face before he could take back what he said. Alex's mouth closed into a thin line as his head hung down. He clenched the hand holding the cup into a fist. A split second too late, he noticed his mistake and began to apologize prophetically as water drenched Dana's legs.

He wished he hadn't said it. If he hadn't, maybe she wouldn't have remembered that horrific monster that had taken her away. And maybe… she wouldn't have remembered his confession.

Alex's hand shook as he filled another cup with water. He walked back over and held it out to her, glad that his hood covered most of his face. She reached out and grabbed it, but let her fingers linger against his for a moment.

"Thank you… for… you know." Dana mumbled, taking the cup. He looked up at her. He saw the smallest whisper of a smile grace her lips before she turned away, taking a sip as she looked about the room. "So where's Randall?" she mumbled before he could ask what she'd meant.

"Ragland's gone." He said, making her turn back. Her eyes were wide open in horror, probably assuming that he was dead… and that Alex killed him. He shook his head and sighed before correcting himself. "They're evacuating Manhattan. He wasn't sure if he should leave you here, so I told him I'd stay."

"Evacuating? But isn't the city still…"

"Infected? No. At least, not as much as it was. I…" he stopped himself, coughing before continuing with a lie, "the _military_ managed to destroy all of the hives, so while there are still traces of the infection, it's mostly harmless. Without the hive mind to control the infected, they're passive and easy to take care of."

Dana stayed silent for a moment, eying her water with an unreadable expression. "So you waited… for me?" her voice was barely a whisper. She looked at him and they locked gazes. Alex's breath caught in his throat. Her eyes were filled with surprise, as if the Alex she knew would have left her in the morgue to save himself. He wanted to say something to reassure her—to explain—but no words formed. Instead, he let out a deep sigh and looked away.

"Yeah… Yeah, I did."

They stayed silent for a few minutes. Dana sipped here cup of water silently as Alex clenched and unclenched his fists. He knew what would happen next, and he hated the thought of it. His breath caught again as he heard her set the cup down next to her. Dana spoke.

"We should go."

Dana's words sent a wave of despair through him. His shoulders slumped, and for a moment he just stood there. He didn't want to go… not because he wanted to stay here, but because he didn't want to face the truth. The truth that it was only her that would be leaving.

"Yeah…" he sighed more than spoke, turning and opening the door without looking at her, "Let's go."

They stopped by a closed grocery store to grab a bite. Well, a bite for Dana, considering how long she'd been out for. Everything inside was surprisingly fresh and clean. Dana made herself a sandwich. When she asked why he wasn't eating, he told her he wasn't hungry. He didn't mention that he never felt hunger. At least, not for human food. They stayed there for less than ten minutes, Alex somehow managing to create an awkward silence that Dana wanted to avoid.

The walk to the bridge seemed to last forever, even though Alex knew it was only a few minutes away. He could run faster than any car in Manhattan, and he'd become so used to it that walking felt like a punishment. But he knew that he had to keep pace with Dana. She thought he'd found a cure for himself; that all of his strange mutations and powers were long gone. Yet it was far from that. Her brother had died at Penn Station, and the infection had taken his form.

… Why was he deceiving her? He should have told her already. Told her that her brother was dead and gone. Told her that she'd never see him again. That he wasn't going across with her.

"There it is!" Dana said with relief as the bridge came into view. Helicopters buzzed just overhead, tanks lining the streets as soldiers directed survivors towards the evacuation area. A smile crossed her face, a faint one. The first true smile Alex could ever remember. And the only one he'd ever see. His eyes dropped as he grabbed her shoulder and turned her towards him.

"Dana… I have to go." He said, icy blue irises gazing into hers. She furrowed her brows in confusion.

"What do you mean? We're…"

"I don't mean…" he trailed off, letting go of her shoulder as he tried to find his voice. He grit his teeth for a moment before continuing. "I… I have to stay here." He finally managed to breathe. Dana squinted back at him, as if searching his eyes for something. Then she asked the question he'd been hoping she wouldn't ask.

"Why?"

He had to tell her that it was because he was infected. That he _was_ the infection, and that the military wouldn't let him through the evacuation area. He had to tell her the truth… and yet he couldn't. Just _thinking_ about telling her the truth felt like clawing out a heart he never had. Realization hit him harder than any missile or bullet he'd ever endured in the last two months.

He loved Dana. He loved her like Alex had loved her, as a sister—maybe even more so. Dana had been the only person he could rely on since he'd turned into her brother. She'd helped him unconditionally and reassured him. Yes, she'd been afraid when he'd told her that he'd become a monster. Yet she'd forgiven him, as simply as if his confession had been nothing more than a sibling spat. When she'd been kidnapped by that mutated hunter, he'd felt like his world had fallen apart. Why? She was the only one who treated him like a human. Like a person. Like she cared… like she loved him back.

If Alex told her the truth, what would that bring to the both of them? Pain. Just pain. She would feel betrayed and think of him as an object. She would hate him—be _disgusted_ by him—and he would become just a _thing_ to everyone. If at least one person believed he was a human being, and if Dana was happy believing her brother was alive… that was enough.

"I… have to do something…" he whispered, grief hanging on his every word. Her expression filled with concern.

"Alex…" he winced at the mention of a name that wasn't his, "please. Tell me what's going on."

"It's better if you don't know." His eyes glazed over. He blinked the feeling away and took a small step closer to her. "Dana… I'll find you on the mainland. After I finish what I need to do. I promise." The lie slipped off his tongue almost effortlessly. He hoped the words would comfort her. Instead, she saw her eyes start to shine with unshed tears.

"You've said that before, Alex. When you asked me to research Gentek. You left without telling me where you were going, but you promised me that you'd be fine. Now look what's happened…" she looked towards the bridge, as if to make her point. When she turned back, the concern had fallen from her face. It was replaced with desperation and panic. She spoke again, her voice barely a whisper. "Don't make me wait for you forever, Alex. Don't make a promise you can't keep."

He felt his resolve starting to shatter. He wanted to go across the bridge with her, but he knew he couldn't. She had to go alone. But her words were so full of anguish that, for a moment, he truly believed he could make it across without being detected. He felt reality fighting against his hopes, and he knew that reality would win.

Almost unconsciously, he raised both of his hands to her face, his palms resting beneath her ears as he placed his thumbs against her cheeks. He let out a breath as her irises searched his for answers, desperately hoping she could change his mind. A sad smile twitched onto his lips. A tear fell from her eyes, but he stroked it away with his thumb before it made its way down to her chin. He leaned her face down and pressed his lips gently against her forehead. As he stepped away from her, he spoke his final words.

"Then don't wait up for me."

He turned away from her and ran, not daring to look back.

Alex Mercer... he died that day in Penn Station, after releasing the most deadly virus known to man upon the unsuspecting people of Manhattan. They didn't deserve what he did. He would have to suffer for Alex's mistakes. And so would Dana.

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**A/N: **Well, hope you enjoyed. Reviews are appreciated, as always! And I'm very sorry if I made Alex or Dana seem OOC. This was the idea that I got in my head and if I changed it at all, it would haunt me forever. xD

Thanks for reading!


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